Gearing for washing-machines



F'. H. MAYER.

(BEARING FOR WASHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 17, 1920.

Patented July 26, L921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

iz/MAW 96 4 TTOR/VEYS F. H. MAYER.

GEAHING FOR WASHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 17. 1920.

1,885,464. Patented y 26,1921,

2 SHEETSSHET 2.

A TTOH/VE rs UNITED STATES FRANK HOWARD MAYER, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

GEARING FOR WASHING-MACHINES.

Application filed January 17, 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK HOWARD MAYER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gearing forashing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in washing machines, it being moreparticularly an improvement in the drive gearing therefor,, and itconsists in the constructions, combinations and arrangements hereindescribed and claimed.

The foremost object of my invention is to provide a washing machinewhich has mutilated drive gearing for oscillating the clothes cradle soas to wash the clothes, and a continuous gear for subsequently revolvingthe cradle so as to expel the water from the clothes.

A. further object of the invention isto provide a novel arrangement ofdrive gearing for the clothes cradle of a washing machine or the like,which includes a shiftable pinion arranged to engage either a mutilatedor a continuous internal spur gear.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of gearingadaptable wherever either a continuous or an intermittently oscillatablemotion is required.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 isan end elevation of the im proved gearing, illustrating its application,for example, to a washing machine,

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view of the improved drive gearing, takensubstantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a detail front elevation thereof, parts being broken away.

It is desired to illustrate one mode of application of the improvedgearing to a washing machine, but it should be pointed out the samegearing can be well applied to other devices such as liquid mixers,mixers of semi-liquid and pulverulent materials, like paint, concrete,sand, etc. The washing machine comprises a tub 1 which is mounted upon asuitable frame 2, has a lid 3 hinged a the front, and is provided withsuitclanip means (not shown) by which the lid firml secured n. the losedopening so Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 26', 1921.

Serial No. 352,097.

as to preventwater spilling out. The rolls of a wringer 7 are operatedby pulley and belt connections 8 leading to the electric motor 9 on theback of the frame 2.

This motor has a driving connectionlO to the master drive gearll whichhas a continuous internal spur gear 12 'nearest the tub 1, an internalmutilated gear 13 next to the gear 12 and a smaller mutilated gear 14integral with the spokes 15. All of the mentioned parts of themaster-drive gear 11, are cast integrally with each other and with thehub 16 which has trunnions 17 running in babbited journals 18 of abracket or standard 19.

The master drive gear 11 revolves continuously in one direction while.the motor 9 is in operation. There is a two-diameter pinion 20, 21 onthe cradle. stub shaft 22 at the right in Fig. 2. this pinion includinga sleeve 23 which facilitates the supporting and sliding of the pinionon the stub shaft. When the two-diameter pinion is in the outermostposition indicated in Fig. 2, then the gear portion of the mutilatedgears- 13, 14 alternately mesh with the pinions 20, 21 so that anoscillatory movement of the clothes cradle 6 carried by the shaft 22,results.

\Vhen the latch 24:, pivotally mounted in the sleeve 23 and pressed downby the leaf spring 25, is raised and the two 'diameter gear 20, 21 slidinwardly on the stub shaft 22, then the large pinion 20 meshes with thecontinuous internal gear 12 so that the clothes cradle 6 is revolvedcontinuously in one directionso as to expel the water from the clothesby centrifugal action. At this time, the pinion 21 is out of meshingposition with the mutilated gear 14, it being ob served that themutilated gear 13 cannot reach the pinion 21 and so the revolving of theclothes cradle goes on uninterruptedly.

While the two-diameter pinion 20, 21 is free to he slid, in and out onthe stub shaft 22, by any suitable means not shown in the drawings,still it cannot turn in respect to the stub shaft, because the upperpart of the stub shaftiscfiattened as at 26 to provide a key for thepinion. This flattened part has outer and inner recesses 27, 28 toreceive the latch 2 when the two-diameter pinion is at its respectivepositions.

The. operation of the gearing may he briefly outlined advanta "e.

Normally the two-diameter pinion 20 -21 should be in the position shownin Fig. 2, so that when the electric motor 9 is started and the masterdrive gear 11 is continuously rotated in one direction, the mutilatedgears 13, 14 alternately engage the pinions 20 and 21, so that thecradle inside of the tub 1 is rotated first in one direction then in theother. The clothes on the inside tumbling over the ribbed surface of thecradle, are thoroughly rubbed without entangling.

After the rubbing action has continued a sufficient length of time, theoperator'shifts the sleeve 23 inwardly by any suitable means, it beingnecessar of course to lift the latch 24, so that the huge pinion 20engages the continuous internal gear 12 and the continuousuni-directional rotation of the master drive gear 11 is transmitteddirectly to the cradle 6 so that it is caused to rapidly revolve in onedirection. It'should be first explained, however, that before this isdone, the cock is opened to let out the dirty water, clear water havingbeen run in thereafter so as to thoroughly rinse the clothes.

It is now seen that the cradle 6 is rapidly revolved, the water beingexpelled from the clothes by virtue of the centrifugal action. It is notnecessary to employ the wringer 7 at all, because the clothes can bethoroughly dried by centrifugal action in the manner stated, the wringerbeing provided merely as an auxiliary for those who may desire to useit.

While the construction and arrangement of the improved washing machine,as herein described and claimed, is that of a generally preferred form,obviously modifications and changes can be made without departing fromthe spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim 1. Gearing, including a rotatable shaft, with a shiftabletwo-diameter pinion, and a uni-directionally driven master gear withmutilated gear portions for oscillating said shaft when the two-diameterpinion is in registration therewith, and with a continuous gear forrevolving said shaft when a corresponding portion of said pinion isshifted into engagement therewith.

2. Gearing, including a flattened-ended shaft, a two-diameter pinionshiftable on said end, with means for holding it in the shiftedpositions; and a uni-directionally driven master gear in relativelyfixed relationship, having mutilated gear portions with which saidpinion cooperates when shifted to oscillate the shaft, and a continuousgear with which a portion of said pinion meshes when shifted, tocontinuously revolve the shaft.

3. Gearing, including a flattened-ended stub shaft, a uni-directionallydriven master drive gear suitably journaled in relatively fixedrelationship to the stub shaft, including mutilated and continuous gearportions ;.and a two-diameter pinion' slidable on the flattened-endedstub shaft, with means for holding it in either of two adjustments,

cooperating with. the mutilated portions to oscillate the shaft, andwith the continuous gear portions to continuously rotate the shaft. I

4. The combination, of a rotatable member having a stub shaft, arelatively stationarily journaled master drive gear, with mutilated gearportions respectively adjacent the rim and hub, and a continuous gearportion adjacent the rim; and a two-diameter pinion slidably carried bysaid stub shaft projecting between the mutilated gear portions,producing an oscillating member movement when in registration with themutilated gear portions, and a continuous member rotation when in meshwith the continuous gear.

5. In combination with a container including a standard with journalbearings, and an integrally cast master drive gear including a hubbetween the bearings, tr nnions reclining in the bearings, and a rimspoke-supported from the hub, including continuous and mutilated gearportions, and a mutilated gear on the spoke near the hub.

FRANK HOWARD MAYER.

